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The following have been identified as factors that increase a woman’s risk of
developing ovarian cancer. While women with one or more of these risk factors have a
higher-than-average chance of developing ovarian cancer, the majority of these women will
never develop the disease. Conversely, many women who develop ovarian cancer have no known
risk factors for the disease. It is important that women know the risk factors and symptoms of ovarian cancer to help increase the chance that it
will be detected early.
Risk factors that cannot be controlled:
Age: The risk of ovarian cancer increases with age. The majority of ovarian cancer
diagnoses occur in women who have already reached menopause.
According to the National Cancer Institute, the highest incidence of ovarian cancer occurs
in women over age 60. However, ovarian cancer can also affect younger women.
Family history of ovarian cancer: Women who have a family history of ovarian
cancer are at higher risk of developing the disease than those with no family history. The
risk is higher if a woman’s close relatives (mother or sisters) have been diagnosed
with ovarian cancer (the risk is 5% over a lifetime compared with a 1.5% risk if no
relatives have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer).
Genetics: BRCA1 (breast cancer
gene 1) and BRCA2 (breast cancer gene 2)
are two genes that, when functioning normally, help repair damage to DNA (a process that
also prevents cancer development). However, women who carry mutations of BRCA1 or
BRCA2 are at higher risk of developing both ovarian and breast cancer compared to women
who do not have these genetic mutations.
Approximately 9% of ovarian cancer cases are due to a genetic mutation of BRCA1 or
BRCA2. The American Cancer Society estimates that between 56% and 87% of women with
inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations will develop breast cancer by age 70. The lifetime
ovarian cancer risk for women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations is estimated to be between 17%
and 44%. Women with a strong family history of ovarian or breast cancer may wish to talk
to their physicians about undergoing genetic testing to determine whether they carry the BRCA
gene mutations. Click here to learn more about
genetic testing.
Hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC): Women with HNPCC are also at
slightly higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. HNPCC is a condition caused by
inherited genes and usually develops in younger women (under 40) with a strong family
history of HNPCC. In addition to an increased risk of ovarian cancer, HNPCC puts women at
very high risk of colon cancer and endometrial cancer (cancer of the uterine lining).
Early menstruation/late menopause: Women who begin menstruating before age 12 or those who do not
reach menopause until after age 50 are at an
increased risk for ovarian cancer as well as breast cancer. This may be because women who
have more menstrual cycles throughout their lifetime are at higher risk of ovarian and
breast cancer. Research suggests that women who become pregnant, breast-feed, or take birth control pills are at
a lower risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Personal/family history of breast cancer: Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer have an increased risk of
developing ovarian cancer because many of the risk factors for breast cancer (including
early menstruation, late menopause, delayed childbirth, BRCA gene mutations, etc.) also
put women at risk for ovarian cancer.
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The majority of women who develop
ovarian cancer have no known risk factors. Also, many women who have some of the risk
factors for ovarian cancer never develop the disease. |
CONTINUED
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